Lighting Ideas for Apartments

Learn how to light up your apartment with some simple tips.

Nothing affects us the way light does. Light can make an apartment look dreary or warm with the flick of a switch. Whether you need lighting for your kitchen, bedroom or living room, you will need to consider the purpose of the lighting, the budget you are working with, safety and of course your personal taste. Good lighting techniques can make an apartment look bigger, fresher, warmer and even sexier.

Make the Most of Natural Lighting

Natural lighting is often the best (and cheapest) light your apartment can get. Make simple changes like fitting shutters only on the bottom half of windows, or install slatted blinds to adjust how much light you let in.

Create Layers of Light

Lighting a room is much more than installing a chandelier or fixing a few bulbs to the ceiling. Create different layers of light by using warm downlights, cleverly placed lamps and wall-mounted lights. This creates a feeling of depth that can make a room look bigger and warmer. You can also divide a room into zones by lighting them differently. Increase the flexibility of your lighting scheme by installing dimmer switches; this way you can adapt the lighting to your mood and the occasion.

Give Eco-Friendly Lighting a Chance

Around 30 percent of your electrical bill is spent on lighting, so think about that when designing your lighting scheme. Install fittings that work only with energy efficient (40 lumens per watt or more) lamps. Both fluorescent tubes and compact fluorescent lights are excellent energy savers and can work as a main lighting source in most rooms.

Light Up Your Stairs

Real Homes magazine suggests making a feature out of your apartment&#039;s stairs by using a glass balustrade and glass stairs. Attach fluorescent lighting strips to each step and make your stairs a work of art. You can also attach wall-mounted lighting along the stairs to further highlight your staircase.

Make Your Kitchen Glow

LED lighting is the latest fashion in low-cost secondary lighting. Create an attractive glow effect by running a LED strip behind glass cabinets. You can buy LED lighting that changes color, with the right intensity for the mood you want to create.

About the Author

Andrew Latham is a seasoned copywriter for both print and online publishers. He has a Bachelor of Science, majoring in English, a diploma in linguistics and a special interest in finance, science, languages and travel. He is the owner of LanguageVox.com, a company based in Charlottesville, Virginia, which provides writing, interpreting and translating services for English and Spanish audiences.